Aug 31, 2024
Avani Lekhara was born on November 8, 2001, in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. She became paraplegic after a car accident at the age of 11.
Initially interested in archery, she switched to shooting in 2015, inspired by Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra.
Avani won her first Paralympic gold medal in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, setting a Paralympic record with a score of 249.6
She made history by winning a second consecutive gold medal in the same event at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, breaking her own record with a score of 249.7
Besides her gold medals, she also won a bronze medal in the Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1 event at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics
Avani is ranked as the World No. 1 in Women’s 10m Air Rifle SH1 as per World Shooting Para Sport Rankings
She has received several prestigious awards, including the Khel Ratna Award, Padma Shri, and the Best Female Debut at the Paralympic Awards
Avani is currently studying law at Rajasthan University and has been appointed as an Assistant Conservator of Forest by the Government of Rajasthan